Rick Mayer
Digital ProducerI’m the online producer for Health News Florida, a collaboration of public radio stations and NPR that delivers news about health care issues.
This is an important position at WUSF. In 2019, the typical U.S. family spent about 11 percent of its annual income on health care, so it stands to reason issues of cost, quality, access and innovation are consequential to all Floridians. Then COVID-19 came along, and the weight of these matters gained exponentially. I take our reporting on these topics quite seriously, as I’m sure you do, too.
Literally growing up in newsrooms and a little serendipity along the way prepared me well for the post. Here’s the abridged version: I’m a Tampa guy, graduating from H.B. Plant High and thrust into the world with my USF degree rolled tightly in hand. From there, it was three mostly sleepless decades as an editor at The Tampa Tribune, then developing and managing an online journal serving physician executives. There’s also my side job editing a statewide health magazine.
And being married to a longtime hospital nurse/case manager helps; dinner conversation often gives me a feel of what’s happening on the front lines. The good and not-so-good.
Of course, my time isn’t always spent flailing in the health news vortex. You’re actually more likely to find me breaking down the Bucs, Bulls or Bolts after a game, taking Oodle the poodle to the dog park or tinkering the backroom piano while vicariously reliving my former life as a musician. (Remember, kids: Parents of percussionists have plenty of patience. Plenty!)
Contact Rick on X @rmayer2361 or by email at Mayer1@wusf.org.
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A proposed rule would allow people to receive the shot at pharmacies. The Board of Pharmacy is accepting public comments through Oct. 8. -
There were 39 additional cases of the mosquito-borne disease in the county in the health department's latest update covering Sept. 6-12. Hillsborough's 134 cases reported since July account for nearly 90% of the 152 statewide. -
A former Broward County nursing school owner, who was among dozens arrested in a federal probe, pleaded guilty in June to conspiracy to commit wire fraud and conspiracy to money laundering. -
The film returns to Green Light for a weeklong run beginning Friday and also shows in October at Sarasota's Burns Court Cinema, about six miles from campus. -
The Bolts begin work on Thursday at the TGH Ice Plex, with the first of four preseason games on Sunday. A new collective bargaining agreement brings fewer practice days and an 84-game regular season. -
The rapper said venues led by Robert Kraft, owner of Gillette Stadium outside Boston, told the promoter they did not want him to perform with Ed Sheeran, who comes to Raymond James Stadium on Nov. 7. -
Overall, HHS is distributing more than $383 million to bolster behavioral health programs. In addition, USF received $500,000 to implement opioid-sparing pain-management protocols at Tampa General Hospital ERs. -
"This one falls on me," said Baker Mayfield, who had three of Tampa Bay's four fumbles – one returned for a Bengals touchdown – that made the difference in the defeat. -
Michael Van Buren ran for two touchdowns and passed for two more, including a 38-yarder to Joshua Porter on fourth down with 19 seconds left, to rally the Bulls from a 10-point deficit. -
The board agreed to take up contract obligations on Nov. 12, including changes to four CRAs and the Community Benefits Agreement. The continuances won't undo any provisions of the stadium deal.
